A slit or narrow opening, especially one used to receive something, such as a coin or a letter. Also: a position within a sequence or series; an assignment or job opening; a vacancy.
A slot is a specific position where a football player lines up to receive a pass. A great slot receiver like Wes Welker can run long routes to open up passes underneath him. A slot is usually the third string receiver, and plays on passing downs. They are typically the fastest players on the team, and can make things happen with their speed.
In a slot machine, a payline is a pattern that runs vertically, horizontally or diagonally across the reels. It’s where matching symbols must land for a win. Most slots have multiple paylines to increase the chances of hitting a winning combination.
Many online casinos allow you to choose how many paylines you’d like to wager on per spin. This is known as a ‘free slot’, while others have fixed amounts that you can’t change. Free slots tend to have lower minimum wage bets, but it’s important to check the paytable before you play to make sure you understand how much you’re committing to each spin.
An airport slot is a permission granted to an airline to operate at specific times, when air traffic control at a particular location is constrained (such as Heathrow). Using slots has resulted in significant savings for airlines in terms of delays and fuel burn.